Faded and Forgotten
by Danielle Show
Summary: "It was impossible to be sad on this gorgeous autumn morning. I had a family. I had friends. I had a home. I would go to Hogwarts. All was well. All was perfect. A joy rose up in me, and for that wonderful moment, I was completely happy; perfectly content. Life was good. That's when I heard the scream... What I saw next was too terrible to be real." Full Summary inside.
1. Echoes of Goodbye

**A.N. If you can't even finish, please review and tell me so. :)**

**Word Count: 2,130**

**Summary: **It was impossible to be sad on this gorgeous autumn morning. I had a family. I had friends. I had a home. I would go to Hogwarts. All was well. All was perfect. A joy rose up in me, and for that wonderful moment, I was completely happy; perfectly content. Life was good. That's when I heard the scream. What I saw next was too terrible to be real.

A rogue band of former Death Eaters have attacked and killed all of the adults in the Weasley/ Potter family. For their protection, and because no relatives old enough to care for them still live, are separated and sent to muggle orphanages. Lily grows up alone. She arrives at the station two years later to find that everyone has forgotten what she looks like. They do not recognize her.** (I know it's a pretty cheesy way of describing it, but hey, it's 2 in the morning. Cut me some slack. Hey, whoever PM's me a better version of the second half of the summary will get their own character. How about that?)**

* * *

_They buried my daddy that day in the rain_  
_And I cried as I held Momma's hand_  
_Those tears on her face revealed all the pain_  
_We never could quite understand_  
_At the funeral, they'd said my daddy had been_  
_A good man and too young to die,_  
_And the child I had been asked over again_  
_Why hadn't he told me goodbye?_

_Endless footsteps lead on along the ground_  
_The grieving people that were here cannot be found_  
_The black clouds come and hide the crying sky_  
_Amid those timeworn, lonely echoes of goodbye._

~Patricia A. Queen. Echoes of Goodbye

All was well.

I waved one last time as the train rounded the corner and out of sight, taking James and Albus with it. In two years, I will go. Just two more years.

It was impossible to be sad on this gorgeous autumn morning. I had a family. I had friends. I had a home. I would go to Hogwarts. All was well. All was perfect. A joy rose up in me, and for that wonderful moment, I was completely happy; perfectly content. Life was good. That's when I heard the scream.

I whipped around as more shouts tore the air. In a few moments, the entire station was in chaos. People were running around either screaming or trying to find out what was going on. I was part of the latter. A minute or two later, everyone realized that the threat, whatever it was, was over and gone. I was scared and started fighting through the crowd over where I last saw Mum and Dad talking with Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron. The closer I got, the more congested the crowd became.

Suddenly, almost everyone in the station went quiet. Not deadly silent; everyone lowered their voices or whispered. They all looked terrified. Their behavior made me nervous and even more scared. Then people started crying. Not everyone, of course. Someone behind me, a girl, was screaming someone's name. I was too concentrated on finding my parents to recognize the voice. More children were sobbing, even some adults had covered their mouths and crying. Most just looked shocked. I stood riveted to the spot. The crowd was too thick to find my parents in and I was too scared to try anymore. Adults were crying; it had to be extremely bad.

Then something strange happened. A woman in front of me half-turned and stared at me for a moment. She then nudged the woman next to her and whispered something, gesturing at me. They both stepped to the side and started to tap other peoples' shoulders. In just a minute or two, the entire crowd had started to part in front of me. I couldn't move. Something really bad was happening. Slowly I began to walk the cleared pathway as more people moved. My heart pounded on my chest. I was more frightened of what the crowds behavior meant than what had caused the screaming. Soon there were no more people to move and I stepped into the small circle they surrounded.

What I saw next was to terrible to be real.

Lying eagle-spread on the ground, their eyes open and blank, were Mum, Dad, Aunt Hermione, and Uncle Ron. Hugo was there, sobbing hysterically next to his parents. My head whirled and the only rational thought I could find was: _Why is Hugo crying like a baby?_

Hugo never cried, so why should he now? There was nothing to cry about. Our parents weren't de-

No. I looked away and shut my eyes. No! They weren't dead, Lily. Do you hear me? They were not dead! They couldn't be. Mum had said that she would always be there, so why would she leave now? And Dad had promised that he would never go anywhere without saying goodbye, and he hadn't! Why would my parents break the most important promises of their lives? They wouldn't.

No. Immediately, I felt the calming feeling I had felt just a few minutes ago. I was happy. Life was perfect. If they really were dead, my cousins would be crying with Hugo. My Aunts and Uncles would be hugging us and holding us and whispering how everything would be alright; a sure sign that nothing was. If our parents were dead, then where were they. Where was Teddy?

No.

I was happy. Life was perfect.

They were not dead. They had not left me alone.

I don't know how long I stood there, but the whole time, I was happy; because everything was too different to be real, so it must be a dream.

People were saying things but I didn't hear until a hand grasped my shoulder and a voice said, "Hold on, Miss Potter."

The person holding me twisted and I left the station.

* * *

I sat on the waiting bench in the Auror's office. Hugo, Roxanne, and Lucy sat next to me.

Hugo sat on the far right and had pulled his knees up and buried his face into them, his body shaking with sobs. He had be crying nonstop since we left the station forty-five minutes ago.

Next was Roxanne, who wasn't even sitting. She had slid to the floor and had wailed for thirty minutes until she went quiet. Whether she was dead, sleeping, or crying silently was a mystery to me. she was the one who had been screaming at the station.

Lucy sat nearest the door and in an identical position to mine. Back straight, feet on the floor (or as low as we could reach), eyes forward. The only difference was that big, fat tears rolled down her cheeks and occasionally she whimpered.

I sat in between the motionless Roxanne and Lucy. I didn't cry because there wasn't a reason to. Mum had said that she would always be there. Dad had never said goodbye. They. Were. Not. Gone.

I closed my eyes for a moment. I was happy. Life was perfect.

The door banged open. Both Lucy and I whipped our heads around to look. In came James, Albus, Rosie, Molly, Victoire, Dominic, and Louis led by an Auror. Their eyes were red and their faces stained with tears. Some still cried.

Lucy shrieked something and flew into her sisters' arms. They were both blubbering and trying to talk at the same time before collapsing into each others arms and wailing. I couldn't understand a word they said. My ears were ringing and everything seemed far away. Why were they sad. No one was dead. I clung to my feeling of happiness. I was happy. Life was-

James and Albus dropped in front of me while Rosie went to cry with Hugo and Fred to comfort his sister.

Their lips moved but no sound came out. I couldn't hear anything but ringing. Must be because I'm so happy...

A witch, whom I hadn't noticed was there before, crouched down next to them and told them something that made my brothers look sympathetically at me. I noticed the sign of a healer on her sleeve.

They took the seats next to me. They were both crying shamelessly. Albus had put his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. James was hunched over and staring at his own hands.

Another bench was conjured for Victoire, Dominic, and Louis who cried like everyone else.

Why? No one was dead. At least, Mum and Dad weren't. Some of my Uncles and Aunts might be.

I jumped up and stumbled over to the Healer.

"I need to use the bathroom," I said randomly. Anything to get me out of here. Anything to get away from the crying people. My hearing seemed to clear up and I could hear my relatives sobbing. It was worse than imagining it. I had to get out.

She led me out of the room and down the hall. It was packed with Ministry workers and in complete chaos. She waited outside while I went in alone.

As I walked in, I glanced in the mirror and froze. A girl was looking out where I should have been. Inside I was happy but slightly confused. That wasn't who I saw.

At a glance, she looked just like the girl on the station only an hour ago. Short red hair, cute freckles, smiling brown eyes- And that's what made me stop. Her eyes weren't smiling like mine should have been. They were... lost, sad, angry, shocked, and... desperate. On further examination, this girl was not like Lily Luna at all. Lily Luna was never scared of anything. She loved to become involved in prank wars with her brothers. She would stretch out and offer friendship to lonely people. She could only be woken through vigorous shakings. And, just an hour ago, The Lily Luna Potter I was used to had found a perfect paradise.

The new Lily, the one who looked at me now, was entirely different. She would jump at the smallest sound. She would never be able to fall asleep with the lights off. She would be easily hurt and too timid to stand up for herself. She would hide in a corner and hope to pass unnoticed. She would jerk awake at a creak and would wake up screaming from nightmares. For the past hour, this Lily Luna had deluded herself into believing she still had paradise just to avoid accepting the unavoidable. That she was an orphan.

That I am an orphan.

No. I am happy. Life is... is...

But it was too late. I collapsed on the floor sobbing and shaking harder than any of my cousins had.

I will never be happy. Life is ruined.

I wailed harder.

Mum will not be there. Dad had left.

_He hadn't said goodbye._

* * *

**Murder at King's Cross**

_Yesterday, September first, a horrifying event _

_occurred. Just moments after the __Hogwarts Expr- _

_ess departed, seven wizards dressed as Death E-_

_aters' __appeared. Without warning, they attacked_

_ and killed __Harry Potter, Ginerva Potter, Ronald_

_ Weasley, Hermione __Weasley, Percival Weasley, A-_

_udrey Weasley, William __Weasley, Fleur Weasley, _

_and Teddy Lupin. At the same __time, Death Eaters_

_ arrived at the houses of Molly and Arthur __Weas-_

_ley, Draco and Astoria Malfoy, Rolf and Luna S-_

_camander, Neville and Hannah Longbottom, Charl-_

_ie Weasley, and Harry Potter's muggle cousin D-_

_udley Dursley and his wife Elaina. Everyone ov-_

_er seventeen was killed, leaving behind eight _

_more orphans, two of which are muggle girls. _

_The Potter and Weasley children currently att-_

_ending__ Hogwarts have returned. The younger thr-_

_ee who were present at the station have already_

_ arrived at separate orphanages around the cou-_

_ntry. The whereabouts of them are unknown._

_Whether these attacks were those of the scatte-_

_red remnants of Death Eaters or a sign of You-_

_Know-Who's resurrection remains a mystery._

* * *

**A.N. How was it? Did you die of boredom? Was it okay? Will you follow? Will you favorite? FYI: if you have read thus far, you must review. Was it too melodramatic? Too unrealistic? Was every other word misspelled? Too cheesy? Overall stupid? PLEASE TELL ME!**

**R&R Please! :D**

_**~Danielle Show**_

**P.S. I'm leaving for camp tomorrow. Don't kill me if I die and never update! Don't kill me if I forget! Just PM me, or, REVIEW! Seriously, review.**


	2. A Face in the Crowd

_You were just a face in the crowd_  
_Out in the street, walking around_  
_A face in the crowd_

-A face in the Crowd by Tom Petty (Song)

* * *

I awoke with a start. Outside, it was pouring rain and the cold seeped through the window and under the cover.

I shivered when I remembered the nightmare. Throwing off the covers, I padded to the door and into the hall. I passed Albus and James' rooms and paused at Mum and Dad's door.

I turned the knob silently and inched open the door. The room was dark. I could make out the forms of my parents on the bed by the wan light coming through the window. The only sounds were the pattering of rain and the rhythmic sounds of their breathing.

I inched through the door and crept up to Dad's side of the bed and stood silently at what I knew to be his face.

"Daddy?"

Dad inhaled sharply and asked in a tired but kind voice, "What is it, Lily?"

I climbed into bed and cuddled up to his body. "I had a nightmare."

"What happened in it?"

I was silent for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "You left us," I said quietly, "Without telling."

"Lily," Dad said sitting up. His angle was such that I could see his face in the light. He was smiling. "Lily, I promise you, I will never go anywhere without saying goodbye."

"Really?" I asked looking up at him. But he didn't answer. He was staring into the sky, his face blank and expressionless. Crowds of people swarmed around us at the station while Lucy sat up straight next to me and Hugo cried and Roxanne screamed. I joined her as the bodies of most of my family were buried at the funeral.

Albus turned to me. _"Where are you, Lily?"_ He called, his voice echoing. _"Come say goodbye to Mum and Dad."_

_Mum and Dad._

_Mum and Dad._

_You never said goodbye._

* * *

"Lily! Lily! Wake up, darling! It was only a nightmare! Just a bad dream! Shh, shh. Calm down, sweetie, calm down. Everything's alright. Wake up."

I opened my crying eyes. Mrs. Quell was holding me as I sobbed and screamed. Slowly I calmed down into hiccups.

"Shh, Shh," She whispered, stroking my hair. "It's alright, everything's alright."

I could see the blurry form of Mr. Quell through my tears. I stopped crying, because Mrs. Quell never lied to me. If she said it was all right, it always was. If something was wrong, she told me. She was the only adult I had ever known who treated me like one.

We were silent as she held me and rocked back and forth slightly. I shut my eyes and tried not to cry when I realized that I was almost eleven. I wouldn't fit on her lap much longer. I would leave and go to Hogwarts, soon, as well. She wouldn't be able to come, but hopefully, I would have Hugo.

"Did you have a nightmare, Lily?"

I nodded, shutting my eyes again.

"Was it scary?"

I half shrugged and nodded for: "sort of."

"Sad as well?"

I nodded as tears squeezed out from under my lids. The Quells knew to only ask "yes and no" questions. I hadn't spoken since that day at the station.

"About your parents?"

I curled up into an even tighter ball and gave a small nod accompanied by more tears.

She didn't ask anything more. The wizards had informed the orphanage, and the orphanage had told my step-parents that I had been there when my parents died. And that most of my older relatives were now dead as well.

I don't know how long she held me, but eventually I drifted into a dreamless sleep. I remembered in my last moments of conscientiousness that tomorrow was Dad's birthday, tomorrow the letters would come.

* * *

I sat at the table eating a bowl of oatmeal. Last night with the Quells seemed more dreamlike than the dream.

I was scared of the arrival of the letter. I knew I was a witch. Before, I could do more magic than James and Albus could. I did a little still, but mostly lived normally. I was scared of the Quells' reactions at the arrival of the letter and their reaction when the found out that I had known all along.

Mr. Quell was at work and Mrs. Quell was washing dishes by the window. My eyes never left that window because I knew, from nine years of living with witches and wizards who get tons of mail, that the owl always knocked at the window facing the street, just like that window.

Sure enough, just after Mrs. Quell sat down to drink her coffee-

_Tap, tap, tap._

"What on earth!" exclaimed Mrs. Quell at the sight of the owl.

It continued tapping and hooting until Mrs. Quell got up and cautiously opened the window. It flew inside immediately and landed on the table in front of me, its leg outstretched.

I sent a nervous glance at Mrs. Quell before reaching out and removing the letter.

Hesitant, I held it out to her.

"What is it, Lily?" She asked, watching the owl out of the corner of her eye. "Do you know what's happening? Do you know why it's here?"

I nodded.

Slowly she took the letter. She examined every inch of it before looking back up. "It's addressed to you."

I blinked at her.

"Do you want me to read it?"

I nodded.

"Do you know what it says?"

I looked sympathetically at her before nodding again.

"Alright," Mrs. Quell answered after a pause. I watched her eyes read the first line before her head jerked back up and she stared at me. I looked down, unable to meet her eyes. I looked up after a moment or two, just in time to see her finish the letter.

"You're a witch?"

I nodded.

"You knew this?"

Nod.

"Were you entire family wizards and witches?"

I nodded for a sixth time that morning.

She looked back at the letter. "Do you know where Diagon Alley is?"

* * *

Mrs. Quell was following the directions that I had written down while I read my letter. _Letter__s _really. When Mrs. Quell had gone into the other room to call Mr. Quell, another owl had appeared at the window bearing a letter for Ms. _Potter. _Assuming that this letter was meant for my eyes only due to my original name, I quickly hid it inside my jacket right before Mrs. Quell came back and ushered me into the car.

The first read:

_Dear Ms. Quell,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Also, you shall be listed in school under your original parents' name._

_Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Sofia Wings_

_Deputy Headmistress_

With it came a list of supplies:

**_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_**

**_Headmistress Susan Bones_**

**_UNIFORM_**

_First-year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

**_COURSE BOOKS_**

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

**_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_**

_by Miranda Goshawk_

**_A History of Magic_**

_by Bathilda Bagshot_

**_Magical Theory _**

_by Adalbert Waffling_

**_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_**

_by Emeric Switch_

**_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_**

_by Phyllida Spore_

**_Magical Drafts and Potions_**

_by Arsenius Jigger_

**_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_**

_by Newt Scamander_

**_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_**

_by Quentin Trimble_

**_OTHER EQUIPMENT_**

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 brass telescope_

_1 set brass or silver scales_

_Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl **OR** a cat **OR** a toad **OR** a rat._

**_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS __ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_**

_Yours sincerely,_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

The second:

_Dear Ms. Potter,_

_In your parents' will, they stated that you shall be given an allowance of 100 galleons a year and 150 during school years. Enclosed in this letter is the key to your vault. Hogwarts' tuition will be paid out of your parents original vault. Also, they have instructed that, if it is your desire, you may withdraw enough money to buy any broom of your choice IN YOUR SECOND YEAR._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Gallud_

_Head Goblin of Gringotts_

I was sincerely relieved. I didn't want to have to ask the Quells to pay for my education. At a red light, I handed the second letter to Mrs. Quell. She read it quickly, sent me a questioning look, but didn't ask anything as the light had just turned green.

I sat back, shut my eyes, and did the math in my head. This is my third year so I should have 350 galleons. My parents had been filthy rich due to Dad's well-paying job, and Mum's for that matter, the money given by anonymous donors, and all the money he received from the Lestrange vault at the death of Bellatrix Lestrange because he was her last living relative, and would probably not run out of money until long after I had a secure job if ever.

Years ago, I had memorized all the costs of everything on the first year list due to my impatience to start school. All of my books for this year, brand new, would cost 13 galleons. A brand new pewter cauldron, 15. A new telescope, 5. Brass scales, 3. Silver scales, 7. Glass phials, 3. Crystal phials, 7. Dragon skin gloves, 3. The cost of the uniform depended on where you went, how much material it took to cover your body and the quality of said material. Wands always varied.

So, if I got everything new and as expensive as they came, I would have:

13 plus 15 plus 5 plus 7 plus 7 plus 3 plus Uniform Cost plus Wand Cost equals 57 galleons plus Uniform and Wand.

350-57 equals 293 galleons. Then subtract the Uniform and Wand.

If I got glass phials and brass scales, I would have 311 galleons. And minus Uniform and Wand.

And if I got most of my supplies second-hand . . .

Oh yeah. And an owl. I wanted to keep in touch with the Quells. Owls ALWAYS varied in cost due to demand, supply, and species.

* * *

Mrs. Quell was quite surprised when I led her through seemingly empty space (from her point of view) into the Leaky Cauldron, and, after a considerate wizard opened the wall for us since we had no wand, we finally emerged into Diagon Alley. Fortunately, since the letters had arrived only that day, and for some students, even later in the year, there was barely anyone doing Hogwarts shopping. Unless you counted a couple of overexcited-muggle-born first years.

I immediately glanced in the direction where WWW had been, to see that it was still there. I made a mental note to find out who was running it.

I absorbed everything in, relieved and exhilarated to finally be back into the world I belonged in.

"Where do we go next, Lily?" asked Mrs. Quell in an undertone.

"To Gringotts the bank," I said immediately, pointing ahead. It was only after Mrs. Quell had paused and stared at me for a couple seconds until I realized why. She had never, ever, heard me speak before.

I took a step forward and tugged her hand. She came out of her surprise and continued walking briskly at my side, although occasionally glancing at me. We walked up the steps and the liveried goblins opened the doors for us. Mrs. Quell again stopped short in surprise. I stared as well. I had forgotten how magnificent Gringotts was.

After a few moments, Mrs. Quell immediately turned towards the desk where muggle-borns were exchanging muggle-money for wizard money. Again I tugged her hand and shook my head when she looked at me. I pointed to the desk where those with vaults always went.

"I think we're supposed to go over here," She said shaking her head.

"No," I replied. "I have a vault."

I left her and strode up to the desk. The goblin glanced at me when I placed my key on the counter.

"Name?" He asked.

"Lily Potter," I said quietly.

He scrutinized me carefully before turning over his should and calling something in Gobbledegook.

"Tornin will take you to your vault," he said as Mrs. Quell appeared at my side.

"And you are?"

"Josephina Quell: her guardian."

"Very well," He replied as a young-looking goblin arrived.

"Thank you," I called over my shoulder as we were led away.

The ride in the cart was as exciting as usual. I'm not sure, but I swear Mrs. Quell was sick halfway through.

We didn't go very far because my vault contained much less money than my parents and therefore was much nearer the ground. As we got out I realized how prepared my parents had been. I had comforted myself over the years telling myself that my parents were unprepared and therefore unable to say goodbye. But, how long had their Will been made? They had said I was not allowed to get a broom until my second year, but how had they known the Will would be in effect at that time? Were they simply being careful? Or had they had a slight suspicion of their impending deaths? Could they have known that they were going to be killed? And soon?

_Don't be ridiculous, Lily. They were being careful! You know what Aunt Hermione always said: Better safe than sorry!_

However, I was unable to prevent myself from asking: "When did my parents make their Will?"

Tornin turned to me. "And how should I know?"

I looked at my feet. But still, the nagging question remained. And now I wondered a new thing:

_Even if they did know they would be attacked but not when or where, couldn't they have told us earlier and said goodbye then? Just in case?_

Something else just occurred to me. Hugo, Lucy, Roxanne, and I had been completely shocked and traumatized. But the rest of my family, only devastated (If that was an improvement). Could they have been told, and the rest of us been deemed too young. I dimly remembered that when they had arrived, that older people of my family had been trying to tell us something. Had that been it?

I banished these thoughts as my vault was opened and dedicated myself to taking the amount of money I would need if I spent the most I could, averaging the cost of uniform, pet, and wand, and to taking just enough extra to appear practical and not greedy. Overall, 100 galleons. Okay, so it looked a little greedy.

One wild cart-ride later, we were blinking in the sunlight, ready to go shopping.

First we went to the second-hand shop. I spent a couple minutes examining a cauldron and scales. The cauldron was missing a leg and it looked slightly singed on the bottom, but after thoroughly examining it, I had decided that the leg could be fixed and that the singes were basically charcoal that came off when I passed my hand over them. I assumed that the previous owner simply needed a differently sized cauldron.

The scales were silver and pretty banged up, but it was in the best condition out of all the others and Mrs. Quell assured me that Mr. Quell could fix it.

We also found a pair of Dragonhide gloves that were kinda too big for me, but were only a galleon.

So, instead of spending 25 galleons on a new cauldron, gloves, and silver scales, I spent only 2 on the scales 11 on the cauldron, and 1 on the gloves. A total of 14 galleons.

I also found some beat up copies of _A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot _and _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi __by Phyllida Spore._

_A History of Magic _new cost two galleons. I got it for 15 sickles and 4 knuts. _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _new cost 2 galleons as well. I only paid 13 sickles and 19 knuts. I didn't feel like doing the math to see how much I had saved, because I felt it had been enough. There were no more of the books on my list in the shop, so we headed to _Flourish and Blotts._

We spent 9 galleons there and, though I wanted to get some other books really badly, Mrs. Quell very wisely advised me to wait until I had bought everything else.

We went to _Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment _to get a telescope for 5 galleons and glass phials for 3. I also got three quills for 2 knuts each (the weren't that big or fancy), and four bottles of black ink for a total of 1 sickle.

We sat on a bench for a minute while Mrs. Quell skimmed through my books and I decided to do the math.

**(A.N. I don't feel like showing it. If you calculate I find I did it incorrectly, please inform me.)**

So far I had spent 32 galleons and 13 compared to 46 galleons, 1 sickle, and 6 knuts I would have spent if I had gotten everything new. I still needed a wand, an owl, and my entire uniform. All of the uniforms that had been in the second-hand store had been completely foul. As in, stuff of nightmares disgusting.

So, I needed a uniform.

We went to both _Madame Malkins _and _Twilfit and Tattings. _Mrs. Quell came up with a genius idea. She asked the women in charge to measure my size to find out how much the entire uniform of the usual material they used would cost at both places. _Madame Malkins_ only cost 7 galleons and 14 sickles for the whole lot, while _Twilfit and Tattings_ cost 10 galleons and 1 sickle.

We went to _Madame Malkins_ and brought our total up to 40 galleons and 10 sickles, leaving me with 59 galleons and 7 sickles in my bag, and leaving me 309 galleons and 7 sickles altogether. I still needed a wand and a pet.

We went to _Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie. _I was extremely disappointed. The owner didn't have any more owls and wouldn't get any until two and a half weeks from now. I didn't want a different pet and, as Mrs. Quell pointed out, Mr. Quell would get a chance to see Diagon Alley, so I guess it worked out.

Finally, it was time to get my wand. It was in the south side of Diagon Alley and the biggest shop there. I think that it was still run by the guy who got my parents their wands. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The entire shop was filled with the small wand boxes, dust, and nobody else.

"Ah! Miss Potter. You're earlier than I expected," Said a voice.

Mrs. Quell actually shrieked and whirled to face the man who had appeared, apparently out of nowhere, to our left. He smiled at us. He was ancient looking, with big orblike eyes and wrinkled skin with tufts of white hair at the top.

"Come to get your wand at last?" He asked smiling broadly. Without waiting for an answer, he turned around to go look for suitable wands while his tape measure popped to life and started measuring me. After a minute, he came back with a box.

"Apple and Dragon heartstring, 11 2/3 inches, rigid."

I had barely begun to wave it before he snatched it out of my hand and tottered off to find another.

"Holly and Unicorn hair, 10 3/4 inches, unbending."

"Cypress and Pheonix feather, 9 inches, slightly springy."

"Pear and Unicorn hair, 10 1/4 inches, quite flexible."

Each wand was the same thing: Begin to wave, snatched away, handed a new one.

"Chestnut and Dragon heartstring, 12 1/2 inches, supple."

"Beech and Unicorn hair, 14 1/2 inches, brittle."

"Hazel with Unicorn hair, 10 3/4 inches, hard."

The moment I touched it, I knew it was right. An electric shock seemed to run through my body as I raised it above my head and brought it down. Blue sparks erupted from its tip and Mr. Ollivander broke into applause.

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" He took it from me and started to prepare its box as he told me about it. "_Hazel is a sensitive wand and often reflects its owner's emotional state, it works best for a master who understands and can manage their own feelings._" I doubted that I was one of those people. "_Others should be very careful when handling a hazel wand if its owner has recently lost their temper, or suffered a serious disappointment, because the wand will absorb such energy and discharge it unpredictably. The positive aspect of a hazel wand more than makes up for such minor discomforts, however, for it is capable outstanding magic in the hands of the skillful, and is so devoted to its owner that it often 'wilts' (which is to say, it expels all its magic and refuses to perform, often necessitating the extraction of the core and its insertion into another casing, if the wand is still required) at the end of its master's life; however, if the core is unicorn hair, as it is in your case, there is no hope; the wand will most certainly have 'died.' Hazel wands also have the unique ability to detect water underground and will emit silvery, tear-shaped puffs of smoke if passing over concealed springs and wells. Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic and is least likely to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she is an accomplished witch or wizard. Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands, although the wand wood may compensate, and that they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may 'die' and need replacing._ I have also found that most wands tend to possess the same personality as the witch or wizard whom they choose. And, if that is the case, then I wish upon you no more evil than has already befallen you, Miss potter."

**(A.N. Everything in italics, I took from Pottermore. Although the last bit is true, just not word-for-word.)**

I was taken aback by his last sentence, and accepted my wand. I realized how long we had been standing there simply listening. It was coming near dusk outside.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander," I said politely. "How much?"

"It is a gift, a small fraction of what I owe to your father for saving my life," He said, peering at me.

Again I was surprised. I thanked him again and hurried out. We stopped at another store when Mrs. Quell reminded me that I would probably need parchment.

I was too tired and confused to try to calculate how much money I had left. It didn't seem to matter anymore. I took my wand out of the box and examined it. I could feel designs carved into it but it was too dark to see. I stifled a yawn as I began to drift off to sleep. I was frightened by the fact that my wand core would die if I mistreated it, and that the entire wand would be broken beyond repair when I died. My eyes began to close and my senses dull. It was so easily hurt, so easily crushed, so easily scarred.

_Like me._

* * *

Three weeks later,

**A.N. This is as far as I got. I'm so sorry, but I did something bad (I mean really really extra EXTREMELY bad/ Off the charts bad), and my parents took away my account. They just changed the password so I will be able to continue following stories and see your reviews, but I won't be able to update or answer. And it doesn't look like I'm gonna be redeemed anytime soon. I'm sorrier than you.**

_**~Danielle Show**_


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